Nicholas Dawson

High temperatures can reduce broadband reliability by straining network infrastructure and causing routers to overheat. Expert advice highlights that remote workers may experience lagging video calls, slower speeds and disconnections, especially during the hottest parts of the day or after storms. Recommended steps include restarting routers, ensuring proper ventilation, keeping equipment out of direct sunlight and preparing mobile hotspots as backups. Network resilience varies more by local infrastructure quality than provider, with newer full‑fibre systems generally performing better than older copper networks. Increasingly extreme weather underscores the need for both consumers and providers to improve preparation for heat‑related disruptions.

Martin Lewis outlines how state pension entitlement is built through National Insurance contributions and explains that while around 35 years of contributions are typically needed for the full pension, at least 10 years are required to receive anything. He highlights that purchasing missing NI years can be highly cost‑effective, citing a case where buying one extra year transformed a person’s entitlement from nothing to roughly a third of the full pension. Pension Credit remains available for low‑income retirees and can top up weekly income, with additional support available for disability, caring responsibilities, housing costs, NHS charges, and TV licences for those over 75.